Is it Really Worth Retiring?....

As we go through our everyday lives working to make ends meet, we often think about when we are done working, where will we retire?

Being from Indiana, I always thought I would like to retire in Florida. They have beautiful beaches, warm water, sunny days, and pina coladas! What a life!

Well, those things are true. I was stationed in Florida in 1998 for the first time in my military career. I completed three years in St. Petersburg, Florida, and yes, it was wonderful! There were things to do and of course the beaches were adventures every weekend.

The weather is an advantage because it is mostly warm all year. During the winter months from December to February it's usually the coldest. However, cold in Florida is like 45. It does get in the 30s a few days, but by noon it is usually warm again.

There is no snow or ice to deal with daily like we dealt with every winter in Indiana. Your car will start without needing jumper cables. No ice to scrape off your windshield and you don’t need to let the car run for 15 minutes to warm up.

So, these are all advantages about retiring in Florida. And there is no state tax. Oh, the good life!

Well, not so fast. Now let’s look at the reality of retirement. First, we are usually older and living on a limited income. Secondly, some of us are somewhat disabled, so we are going to need healthcare more often. This is where the reality of Florida starts to hit home. Yes, it’s a beautiful state, and yes, it is warm.

However, let’s look at the downside of Florida that no one tells you about and you do not learn about until you have lived in Florida. First, Florida has 23 million people now making it the third most populous state in the country. So, that means long lines everywhere you go. This includes the doctor’s office. However, getting a doctor’s appointment can take as much as four weeks depending on where you live in Florida.

If you want to go to a movie theater, better get your tickets early because if it is a good movie, it will be full. There will be lines at the grocery store, the Florida Bureau of Motor Vehicles, to get a driver’s license, and car dealerships. It can take up to two weeks just for an appointment to get your oil changed.

These are just some of the things you need to think about as you get older. Most of us don’t realize this until we have lived in Florida for a while.

Also, the beaches are so crowded at times you can’t even find enough sand to put your towel without rubbing elbows to the person next to you. And don’t even get in the water, the sharks are rampant these days on most Florida beaches. Lately, there have even been alligators in the ocean too. Who would have thought alligators were in the ocean? Most people are not aware that New Smyrna Beach, Florida, is shark bite capital of the world. Yes, this is true. Every year there are several shark bites on New Smyrna beach. This year, several people have been bitten by sharks.

Let’s look at the financial situation in Florida. Homeowner’s insurance is the costliest in the country. You will pay just as high or higher rates than people in California pay. Why? Hurricanes are the excuse most insurance companies use. Yes, hurricanes cause a lot of damage. I just shelled out $22,000 last year for a roof on my home after hurricane Milton came through Tampa. Now here is something you may not know. Tampa, Florida, did not have a hurricane since 1921, almost 103 years since the last one, but Tampa had two in three weeks last year. Hurricane Helene and Milton were both very destructive to the Tampa area. Many homes were severely damaged. If you don’t have savings, you could be in trouble.

I do believe climate change is making a difference these days. There are warning signs. The water temperature off the coast of Florida is getting hotter each year. In 2023, it got so hot in Key West that the coral on the ocean floor was literally bleached from the heat, and most of the coral turned white. This very warm water is also the fuel for hurricanes. Once they hit hot water, they really churn up fast!

In Florida, you will pay one of the highest car insurance rates in the country. Why? Well, some say because of bad drivers, or immigrants that can’t read signs or tourists from other countries who can’t read the signs. I have seen this myself with some of the drivers. Insurance companies will not tell you this, but it is a reason we pay higher rates. Also, Florida is one of 12 states that are a no-fault state. So, if you do have an accident, most likely, you will end up paying to fix your car. And remember, there are 23 million people in Florida, so, we have a lot more people driving on the roads in Florida too.

I love it when I can go back to Indiana during the summers and drive on two lane roads with no one tailgaiting me or blowing their horn for me to get out of the way. I can drive with peace of mind and really enjoy the drive. Something I cannot really do in Florida. The drivers are very aggressive too. There are numerous wrecks every day because of the number of vehicles on the road.

Florida just recently instituted a reckless driving policy, something Indiana has had for years. This means if you drive more than 100 miles per hour, you are going to jail, and they impound your car. Just this week, Florida State Troopers stopped a motorcyclist riding 121 miles per hour on the interstate. He was arrested and they impounded his motorcycle. This is something I thought Florida should have had years ago, but they are getting smarter now.

So, as we get older and become more sensitive to the world around us, we must ask ourselves what we want to tolerate daily. Do we want to worry every year from June 1 through November 30 about our home being destroyed by a hurricane? Do we want to worry about losing our life in a hurricane? Do we want to worry about being run off the road by some crazy driver, or worse yet being shot at by some aggressive driver? It happens every day in Florida somewhere.

Do we want to pay these high rates for car and home insurance on a limited income? Can we wait four weeks to see the doctor? Why do I have to wait two weeks to get my oil changed? These are questions you need to think about.

Every day I drive 6.2 miles one way to work. In the morning it takes me 40 minutes to drive that distance with bumper-to-bumper traffic on a three-lane road. In the afternoon, on the way home, it takes me one hour to go that distance. It is crazy! And I pray no one hits me because people are cutting each other off and switching lanes constantly. You must have a lot of patience to deal with drivers in Florida.

Well, these are just some things to think about before you load up the U-Haul truck, and head to sunny Florida. We each must make our own decisions, but I can tell you this – one more hurricane that destroys my home – Indiana here I come!